Man acquitted of murder in the shooting death of aspiring teacher during iPod theft

PHILADELPHIA – A man already serving a life sentence has been acquitted of murder in the shooting death of an aspiring teacher during an iPod robbery in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (http://bit.ly/1M3oZGX) the jury found Marcellus Jones not guilty of all charges Wednesday, including murder and conspiracy to commit robbery, in the death of 23-year-old Beau Zabel.

Zabel moved from Austin, Minnesota, to Philadelphia to start work in the public schools a few weeks before he was killed in June 2008 during a street robbery that netted an iPod. Zabel had been walking home after finishing a shift at a Starbucks store.

The 37-year-old Jones is serving life for killing a witness in the case. A murder conviction would have meant a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.